Furnace



(No Model.) \Wzd/ 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. PLANNBRY.

PURNAGE. No. 251,,856.' Patented Jan.'3, 1882.

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2 Sheets-S.heet 2.

(No Model.)

. J. FLANNERY.

FURNACE. V

- Patented Jan. 3,1882.

I O0 A/ //47/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH FLANNERY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters i'atent No. 251,856, dated January 3, 1882.

- Application filed April 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH FLANNERY, of Philadelphia,in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnaces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the attic which it pertains to make and use it, refereneebein g had to the accompanyin gdrawi-ngs, which form partof this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in furnaces and it consists, first, in building a fire at ornear the rearend of the boiler, in additiontothe fire whichis lighted under its front end, and forcingthe whole of the products of combustion up through this second fire at the rear end of the boiler, and providingit with suitable flues for the admission of air. a

The object of this part of my invention-is to arrest the soot from the products of combustion: from the fire under the front end of the boiler, and toconvert the carbonic-acid gas into 3 a carbonic oxide, and to decompose the vapors of water into its gases, whereby the neutralgases are converted into combustible or heating gases and a very intense heat produced, as well as to make the furnace a smokeconsumer. i t

The second part of myinvention consists in placing a bed of limestone (carbonate of lime) back of the fire, which is lighted underthe front end Of: a boiler, and which is to be used in connection with a secondary fire, which is made atthe rear end of a boiler; The object of this part of my inventionris to disengage large volumes of carbonic-acid gas contained in the carbonateoflime (limestone) by means of the heat in the products of combustion, and this carbonic-acid gas, passing through the incandescentbedof coals at the rear end of the furnace, takes upa certain quantity of carbon, and is thereby converted into carbonic oxide, and thus a valuable combustible gas is furnished in large quantities at a trifling cost.

The third part of my invention consists in the use of a curved arch over the top of the secondary fire, for the purpose of deflecting the heatinggas directly into the rear ends of the fines. The object of this part of myinvention is to deflect the heated gas directly into the fines of the boiler, so that as little heat as possible will be absorbed by the surrounding settings, and thus the heat is applied more directly to heating the boiler and generating steam than it would be where any other form of setting was used.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a furnace embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 1 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken through the furnace, so as to show all three sets of grate-bars. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line 3 4 of Fig. 2.

i A represents the outside wall of my furnacesetting, made of common brick or any other suitablematerial; and B, the inside wall, of refractory material of any kind, and in between the two wallsis formed an air-chamber, into which air. is taken at the top or any other suitable point and heated by the radiated heat that is imparted to the inner wall, and then this heated air is fed to the fires through suitable passages prepared for this purpose.

Under the front end of the boiler is the usual furnace, D, into which the fuel is fed through an inclined passage-way, E, which is made long enough to extend acrossthe front of the furnace, and in which the coal is heated to such an extent as to liberate a large quantity of the gas contained therein before the coal is fed upon the grate. When it is desired to feed this coal forward upon the grate it can be readily done by using any suitable tool through theopeningF just below thisinclined passage way. By thus coking the fuel before it is fed jforwardnpon the grate a large proportion of gas is given off and consumed under the furnace of the boiler. This gas being liberated in the manner described and consumed under the'front end of the boiler prevents the usual large amount of carbon or soot being given off in'a solid form, and thus assists to make the furnace a smoke-consumer.

Just back of the projecting wall is placed a secondset of grate-bars, Y, and upon these grate-bars is placed asuitable quantity of carbonate of lime in the form of oyster-shells or limestone, and the heat of the products of combustion passing through this carbonate of lime liberates large quantities of carbonic-acid gas. This carbonate of lime also serves to prevent any soot or other solid matter from passing in with the products of combustion, and thus assists in making the furnace a smoke-consumer. As fast' as the carbonate of lime parts with its carbonic-acid gas it settles down upon the grate,

bars, and it can be removed through a suitable door made through the side of the setting for this purpose, and then renewed whenever itis necessary.

As here shown, just back of the bed of carbonate of lime a water-leg is formed upon the rear end of the boiler, and through this water'- leg is made a fine, H, through which the products of combustion pass. This water-leg, however, is not necessary, and in applying my invention to boilers which have no water-leg any other line or construction that may be desired will be used. I

At the rear end of the flue is formed a reservoir, I,in which a suitable quantity of water is kept, and which wateris converted into steam by the heated products of combustion coming in contact therewith. Above this reservoir is placed a set of grate-bars,X,which are formed from tubes which are connected with the lower and upper parts of the boiler, so as to keep a constant circulation through them. These grate-bars being thus made and kept filled with water serves a double purpose-that of preventing the bars from being so rapidl y consumed or destroyed by heat and assisting in the generation of steam. Upon these gratebars is placed a suitable quantity of carbon, in the form of either coal or coke, and through this body of carbon the whole products of combustion, together with the vapor of water, are made to pass. The heat from the products of combustion converts this carbon into an incandescent bed of coals, and the carbonic-acid gas, passing up through this incandescent fire, absorbs a certain quantity of carbon, and is convertcd into carbonic oxide, and thus a neutral gas is converted into a combustible one. The

vapor of the water passing up through this incandescent fire is resolved into its elements of hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen, mingling with a quantity of atmospheric air which passes in through the flue K, is consumed, and the oxygen and thevapor combine with thecarbon of the fire, and are also consumed. Just below the grate-bars is made a second flue, L, through which a suitable quantity of heated atmospheric air is permitted to pass when needed for the purpose of aiding the combustion of the carbon. By means of this secondary incandescent fire, which is ignited by the products of combustion from the fire under the front end of the furnace, all of the solid products of combustiomsuch as soot and ashes,

are prevented from passing up and being deposited in the fines, whereby a very great saving of time and trouble is effected in the opercombustion made to pass up through it, all of the carbonic-acid gas and all of the uneonsumed carbon in the shape of soot are allowed to pass away through the stack and are lost, whereas where this incandescent fire is used nearly the whole of the soot and the carbonic-acid gas is utilized in the production of steam.

Where this invention is to be applied to furnaces already in use, and where there is not sufficient room for the secondary fire at the rear end of the boiler, the fire may be formed at one end of the setting, and the products of combustion will then be made to pass along the full length of the boiler, and then down through a flue and pass up through this incandescent fire, and then back into the flue through which it is intended that it shall pass. It is not necessary that this fire should be made in the location here shown, as any other location will answer equally as well, though the manner here shown is preferred. Above the top of the chamber formed for this incandescentfire there is placed a curved arch, N, which is so shaped as to deflect the heated gas upward directly into the rear ends of the flues O,- which extend horizontally through the boiler.

By this form of arch but very little heat is absorbed, and by deflecting the heated gases directly into the'tubes and against the end of the boiler a great saving in heat is efi'ected. After the gases have passed through the flues '0 they rise upward at the front end of the boiler and pass off into the stack, which may be located at any convenient point. Should a battery of boilers be used, a bed of carbon similar to"what is here shown will be placed under each boiler, at any suitable point, so that the products of combustion will be utilized, as above described.

Although my invention is here shown as applied to the furnace of a boiler, it is obvious that it can be used in connection with furnaces of difi'erent kinds, where it will accomplish the same results in forming a smokeless furnace, and to utilize the unconsumed gases which pass off in the products of combustion and are ost.

' I am aware that a secondary fire has been placed in the rear end of the fire which is made under the front end of the boiler, but in this case the products of combustion pass. over the top of the secondary fire, and in no case pass up directly through it, as here shown, and hence I do not claim a secondary fire per se.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In afurnace, the combination of a fire whichis made in the front end of the furnace with a bed of carbon through which thewhole products of combustion of the fire in the front of the furnace pass, and a suitable flue, K L, for admission of air to the secondary fire, substantially as shown.

2. In a furnace, the combination of the fire made in the front end of the furnace, a bed of carbonate of lime through which, the products of combustion pass, a suitable air-flue, K L, for the admission of air to support combustion, and a bed of carbon which forms an incandescent fire, and through which also the products of combustion and the gas disengaged from the carbonate of lime pass, substantially as de scribed.

3. In a furnace, the combination of a fire in the front of a the furnace, a vaporingpan, a

JOSEPH FLANNERY.

Witnesses:

WM. H. KERN, A. O. KISKADDEN. 

